Identity Protection 101: On the World Wide Web and Off

Identity Protection 101: On the World Wide Web and off

Technology has opened the doors wide open for scam artists to take advantage of unwilling people. The Internet is a wonderful tool. But it has become a close enemy of ours. In cyber space, our identities and our lives become a target.

We as a society have to be aware of our surroundings on the internet. Scam artists not only target victims on the web, but off as well. You can never be too careful now days.

Do not give personal information out on the web. This is a key rule to keep in mind when surfing the Internet.

Burn or shred all important documents. You should never throw away any documents out in the trash. Scam artists dig through piles and piles of garbage to find what they are looking for. Important papers that should never be thrown away are papers with your social security number, address, phone number and name. I personally burn those types of papers because it is hard for them to piece back together. A shredder does a good job of destroying them, but I just prefer to burn them.

Never give out social security number over the phone. Scam artists find it easy to phone potential victims and bring to be a credit card company. This is an easy scam for them to pull off. Some people do indeed give this information out. As a rule I wouldn't give this out, no matter who they are.

Create an inventory. This step will help you to stay on top of things. If an identity theft threat appears, you can back up the information and have it removed from your record. An inventory can be of your bills, accounts, etc. But this inventory of sorts should be kept in a secure place such as a lock box.

Use your own computer. If you are like me, and like to pay your bills online, pay them on your own computer. A public computer, you have no idea who is using it or what type of spyware software is on them. You can never be too careful using a public computer for your own personal business that you do not want anyone to have access to.

Monitor all accounts. This method keeps you on top of all your money. Every time your account is monitored by you, you have full control of what is going in and going out. All your earnings and spending will be accounted for.

Watch over your shoulder. Whether you are in the privacy of your own home or in a public place, always look over your shoulder. You never know who maybe trying to take a peek at what you are doing.

Identity theft happens more often than we realize. As a society we can take precautions to prevent it from happening. Do not trust every too easily. You can be your own worst enemy.